Chapter 22

“A … a partner?” 

“Yeah.  Is that enough for me to buy in and be partners with you?  This way … I’m not … you know … kept.  We start out a little closer to the same footing though I don’t have to be the head partner or anything.  You see … uh … we’ll be throwing in together.  You don’t have to … be on the hot end of the skillet by yourself and I know … you won’t just …” 

“Break the deal?” 

“Yeah.  Exactly,” I answered relieved. 

“Ok, this last part you may not like but I … I gotta know.” 

“Uh …” 

“Do you think … could you let me … I mean I need to know if … aw hell.  I just need to know if we can work … the other … you know if you can stand me to … uh …” 

“What is it you want?” 

“Look, you don’t have to if you don’t feel up to it.  I just think it’s better if we know up front.” 

Bean, I was thinking a lot of possibilities but I didn’t expect the one he wanted. 

“A kiss?!  That’s what you want?” 

“Forget it.  You probably don’t feel up to it.  I should have …” 

“Roman.” 

“It was stupid to even …” 

“Roman.” 

“Really.  What was I think?!” 

“Roman!” 

“Huh?” 

“You can have whatever you want.  I’ll even … well … be willing.  I mean I won’t fight and that’s something I’ve never been is willing … with anyone no matter how much they paid to use me.  Just don’t be mad if you’re disappointed.  One of the house rules was no kissing customers.  Mother Mary said it caused emotional attachments and that those caused jealousies and other problems.  So I don’t have a good idea how it’s supposed to work so maybe you should pick something else.” 

Roman swallowed a couple of times and his voice cracked when he said, “No.  No I think we should try a kiss.” 

“Ok, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

Bean it sure did take him a long time to start.  First he locked the door, then the bedroom door, then he put a blanket over the window. Then because it was dark he tripped over the chair and wrapped his foot around the headboard and hopped around cussing almost as good as the customers would when they couldn’t pay and Mother Mary had Brian toss ‘em out on their heads.  Then he had to figure out where we were going to sit.  He wound up pulling his chair right next to the one I had been sitting in and then he just sort of sat there for a while. 

I’d never seen a man so nervous, not even the boys that would sometimes get brought by their dads or big brothers. 

“Uh … can I … can I …” 

“Roman, what are you waiting for?” 

“Can I put my arm around you?” 

I thought about it.  “How about we sit like when we were on the horse?  This way you don’t fall out of the chair.” 

“Uh … you sure?” 

“I’m the one that brought it up.” 

Roman may be a slow starter but he finally got going and almost settled down.  I was worried about him though.  His breath started to make a strange whistling sound and I was getting concerned I was too fat and was squashing him.  I was about to ask him when there was this terrific pounding on the door.  It reminded me of the guy who kept track of the time and he’d bang on the rooms if the men were trying to get free minutes. 

Roman stood up so fast I slid to the floor.  He was caught between feeling bad and checking on me and grabbing for his gun when a man shouted, “Roman!! Boy, ya done yet?!” 

“I’m gonna kill him.  I don’t care what Andrew says I am going to kill him so dead.” 

I grabbed his leg before he could stalk away.  “Help me up and we can go kill whoever it is together.” 

“Huh?”

 

“Partners remember?”